Doncaster market trader suspended after violent row with customer

Kate Mason

A trader at Doncaster Market has been suspended - following reports that he was involved in a violent row with a customer.

An investigation is now underway into the incident at the market at around 11.30am yesterday.

Dave Wilkinson, the council’s assistant director of trading services and assets, said: “A trader at Doncaster Market has been suspended following an altercation with a member of the public.

“The council will now be undertaking a full investigation in to the incident.

“Security is important to us and we work closely with the police.”

Police confirmed the matter had been reported to them - but said a trader claimed he had been attacked by a customer.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said the force was waiting to speak to the complainant to get more details.

However, traders at the town’s market have slammed the decision to suspend the man, and said more should be done instead to protect stallholders.

Traders said they had been inundated with problems from drug users and drunks who frequent the market on a daily basis.

Stallholder Colin Wilson said: “We get problems with druggies hanging around causing problems and people begging - one trader had a knife pulled on him by a customer. People are getting fed up and something needs to be done.”

Fish market trader James Mitchell added: “Action needs to be taken - it was only a matter of time before a trader cracked.”

Doncaster Market Traders’ Federation official Nigel Berry said: “We’ve had problems with druggies and drunks for the last 10 years but it seems to have been getting worse over the last six months.

“With some of the things we have to put up with from these people I’m surprised something like this hasn’t happened before.

“It seems a bit harsh to suspend someone before a full investigation has taken place.”

The incident comes just a week after it was revealed one in three stalls on Doncaster Market is standing empty.

Figures showed the proportion of empty stalls on the market had increased from 27 per cent in October 2014 to 30 per cent in March of this year.

Mr Berry said: “It’s difficult to attract new traders when we have problems with beggars, drunks and druggies hanging around.”

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